1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission unit for axles for vehicles with electric drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles with electric drive are used in various application, such as for example, for moving luggage in railway stations and/or airport facilities, for transporting people on golf courses, etc.
The transmission unit for such a vehicle is normally composed of a train of gears. In this train of gears, a drive gear takes the drive from the shaft of an electric motor and transmits it to the driven gear which in turn transmits the drive to the wheel axle of the vehicle. In some cases, an intermediate idler gear is interposed between the drive gear and the driven gear. The unit is housed in a gear housing.
Since each of the possible uses of above-mentioned electric-drive vehicles may require a different transmission ratio, it is normally necessary to provide different drive, driven and idler gears for each type of use, and possibly also a different transmission housing.
The object of the present invention is to provide a transmission unit for axles for vehicles with electric drive which overcomes the above-mentioned problems and which is of simple construction and low cost.
The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object by means of a transmission unit for axles for vehicles with electric drive having a drive gear, a driven gear, and an intermediate idler gear meshing with the drive gear and with the driven gear, the gears being housed in half-shells, the intermediate idler gear being mounted rotatable on an intermediate or central portion of a pin having two end portions rotatably supported in the half-shells about a common axis, the central portion of the pin being eccentric by a predetermined amount with respect to the common axis; and means being provided for locking the pin in different angular positions about the common axis, with respect to the half-shells.
In a further embodiment, the locking means comprise a plurality of angularly spaced radial holes formed in one end portion of the pin, and a locking member extending through a radial hole formed in one half-shell and one of the radial holes of the pin.
In yet another embodiment, the locking means comprise a plurality of angularly spaced radial holes formed in one of the half-shells, and a locking member which extends through one of the radial holes and through a radial hole formed in one end portion of the pin.
In still a further embodiment, the locking member is a resilient split pin.